Three-time Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Pro-Am Champion, Stephen Grove, will mark his return to the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup this weekend when the global one-make Championship converges on Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, Var, near Marseille in France.
Grove will join the French Martinet by Almeras Team for the fifth round, in a one-off drive in the premier Championship in preparation for the Total Energies 24 Hours of Spa which takes place the following weekend.
As a result, the Penrite Racing Team owner, will not be able to contest Round 5 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship at The Bend Motorsport Park on the 29-31 July. Grove currently lies second in the Morris Finance Pro-Am class, 17-points behind class leader Geoff Emery.
Grove previously campaigned in rounds of the 2019 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup season along with fellow Carrera Cup Australia drivers, Jaxon Evans, Marc Cini and Joey Mawson. This year, Grove will have fellow Australian, Aaron Love for company in the French team, as the young West Australian’s busy 2022 calendar continues between select Porsche Carrera Cup France and Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia rounds.
For the endurance classic in the Ardennes, Grove Snr will join son, Brenton and Grove Junior driver, Matthew Payne and Adrian D’Silva behind the wheel of the rebuilt 911 GT3 R, following damage the Porsche sustained in this year’s Liqui Molly Bathurst 12 Hour.
Following the 24 Hours of Spa, the Grove Porsche 911 GT3 R will stay in Europe for the Hankook 24 Hours of Dubai in January 2023, before potentially returning down under for the Liqui Molly Bathurst 12 Hour next year.
QUOTES:
Stephen Grove: “The Total Energies 24 Hours of Spa is a special one. It’s such iconic circuit where we are honoured to race the #16 Porsche 911 GT3 R in the Po-Am class. It will be a tough race with an exceptionally strong field, but we are confident and excited to participate with our line-up of drivers including Grove Junior driver, Matt Payne, and Adrian D’Silva.
Brenton and I were really pleased to win bronze in the GT Nations Cup back in 2019 in a hard-fought race. We’ll both be representing Australia again in this prestigious and globally recognised event. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to take part and to give ourselves a chance at winning gold.
I am really proud to be captaining the Nations Cup team for Australia, it is something that is special to me and I am excited to be racing as part of a strong and competitive Australian team.”
Brenton Grove: “Stephen and I are excited to be racing at Spa in the 24 Hour. It’s a great challenge and everyone is looking forward to a great weekend of racing. It will be our first race where we’ll have Matt Payne with us who is part of our Junior Program, as well as Adrian D’Silva, so we are confident we can fight for some strong results.
We are also racing in the 2022 FIA Motorsport games in which we are proud to represent Australia once again after achieving bronze in 2019. We hope to go two steps better this year and bring home gold to continue Australia’s strong sporting results in recent weeks.”
About:
2022 FIA Motorsport Games
Taking place between 26-30 October 2022, around 80 nations are expected to compete representing the individual FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) National Sporting Authorities (ASNs) from each country. They will race in a vastly expanded programme of 17 disciplines spanning the motorsport spectrum, staged across the three locations of Circuit Paul Ricard, Veynes and St. Baume.
The FIA Motorsport Games combines sport with culture and education, creating an environment that uplifts the values of respect, unity, and equal opportunities. More than a thousand amateur and professional drivers from ASNs across the globe and all levels of motorsport will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals under the colours of their country’s flag.
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